Lucky Loser

Inheritance. Fraud. Deceit. The devastating exposé of Trump’s financial failings that you need to read to understand the man whose deals are destroying the world economy. 'A first-rate financial thriller' NEW YORK TIMES 'Damning' SUNDAY TIMES 'Devastating ... thrilling' GUARDIAN Donald J. Trump once declared life has ‘not been easy for me’. He spun a fable of how he turned a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar empire and argued this made him singularly qualified to lead. Except none of it was true. A meticulous masterpiece based on Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting, this is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money – what he had and what he lost. 'Strikes at the heart of the Trump myth' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Groundbreaking reporting ... comprehensive, persuasive' NEW YORKER

Inheritance. Fraud. Deceit. The devastating exposé of Trump’s financial failings that you need to read to understand the man whose deals are destroying the world economy. 'A first-rate financial thriller' NEW YORK TIMES 'Damning' SUNDAY TIMES 'Devastating ... thrilling' GUARDIAN Donald J. Trump once declared life has ‘not been easy for me’. He spun a fable of how he turned a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar empire and argued this made him singularly qualified to lead. Except none of it was true. A meticulous masterpiece based on Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting, this is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money – what he had and what he lost. 'Strikes at the heart of the Trump myth' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Groundbreaking reporting ... comprehensive, persuasive' NEW YORKER

An Instant New York Times Bestseller - A Washington Post Notable Book - A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year "A first-rate financial thriller . . . Lucky Loser is one of those rare Trump books that deserve, even demand, to be read." -Alexander Nazaryan, The New York Times From the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters behind the 2018 bombshell New York Times expos? of President Trump's finances, an explosive investigation into the history of Donald Trump's wealth, revealing how one of the country's biggest business failures lied his way into the White House Soon after announcing his first campaign for the US presidency, Donald J. Trump told a national television audience that life "has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me." Building on a narrative he had been telling for decades, he spun a hardscrabble fable of how he parlayed a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar business and real estate empire. This feat, he argued, made him singularly qualified to lead the country. Except: None of it was true. As his wealthy father's chosen successor, Trump received the equivalent today of more than $500 million in family money. He collected a second windfall thanks to Mark Burnett, the revolutionary television producer who made Trump a star. In truth, Trump's empire was underwritten, and at times saved, by the equivalent of more than $1 billion that came his way without any of the business expertise he claimed. Drawing on over twenty years' worth of Trump's confidential tax information, including the tax returns he tried to conceal, alongside business records and interviews with Trump insiders, New York Times investigative reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig track Trump's financial rise and fall, and rise and fall again. A masterpiece of narrative reporting, Lucky Loser is a meticulous examination spanning nearly a century, filled with scoops from Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, Atlantic City, and the set of The Apprentice . Here for the first time is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money - what he had, what he lost, and what he has left - and the myth of Trump, the self-made billionaire, exposed.

An Instant New York Times Bestseller - A Washington Post Notable Book - A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year "A first-rate financial thriller . . . Lucky Loser is one of those rare Trump books that deserve, even demand, to be read." -Alexander Nazaryan, The New York Times From the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters behind the 2018 bombshell New York Times expos? of President Trump's finances, an explosive investigation into the history of Donald Trump's wealth, revealing how one of the country's biggest business failures lied his way into the White House Soon after announcing his first campaign for the US presidency, Donald J. Trump told a national television audience that life "has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me." Building on a narrative he had been telling for decades, he spun a hardscrabble fable of how he parlayed a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar business and real estate empire. This feat, he argued, made him singularly qualified to lead the country. Except: None of it was true. As his wealthy father's chosen successor, Trump received the equivalent today of more than $500 million in family money. He collected a second windfall thanks to Mark Burnett, the revolutionary television producer who made Trump a star. In truth, Trump's empire was underwritten, and at times saved, by the equivalent of more than $1 billion that came his way without any of the business expertise he claimed. Drawing on over twenty years' worth of Trump's confidential tax information, including the tax returns he tried to conceal, alongside business records and interviews with Trump insiders, New York Times investigative reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig track Trump's financial rise and fall, and rise and fall again. A masterpiece of narrative reporting, Lucky Loser is a meticulous examination spanning nearly a century, filled with scoops from Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, Atlantic City, and the set of The Apprentice . Here for the first time is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money - what he had, what he lost, and what he has left - and the myth of Trump, the self-made billionaire, exposed.

From a host of The Daily Show and stand-up comic, Michael Kosta, comes a wildly funny and insightful memoir about his unlikely journey from professional tennis player (#864 in the world) to professional comedian (there's no ranking system in comedy but he's probably . . . top 50?). Before Michael Kosta was performing stand-up comedy specials and hosting The Daily Show , he was a professional tennis "star," reaching the lofty heights of the #864 ranked men's singles player in the world. Stop laughing. That's better than your world ranking. As a tennis pro, Kosta traveled across the globe, competing in such exotic locales as the Netherlands, Tokyo, and even rural Illinois before deciding to put down his racket and pursue a more stable and predictable career: comedy. In a completely unexpected and wild journey through the backwaters of professional tennis, Kosta shows the unlikely ways life on the court prepared him for life in front of a microphone. Like comedy, tennis is brutally competitive, and most people lose at it. Unlike comedy, no one in tennis puts a gun on the table as they count out your earnings in twenty-dollar bills at the end of the night. And then there are the things that have more to do with what happens to you--and what you end up learning--as part of growing up. Topics include: how to properly discard an unwanted European hard-boiled egg, giving CPR to your dead grandpa, cringe-worthy "sex" in the Red Light District, crying so hard in a car that strangers call the cops, and also happy things like what it feels like when your dreams come true. From misadventures in tennis to the humbling setbacks of comedy, Lucky Loser is a heart-filled story of making your own luck, the universal experience of failure, and the many ways in which we all inevitably lose on the way to success. Lucky Loser includes a 16-page photo insert.

From a host of The Daily Show and stand-up comic, Michael Kosta, comes a wildly funny and insightful memoir about his unlikely journey from professional tennis player (#864 in the world) to professional comedian (there's no ranking system in comedy but he's probably . . . top 50?). Before Michael Kosta was performing stand-up comedy specials and hosting The Daily Show , he was a professional tennis "star," reaching the lofty heights of the #864 ranked men's singles player in the world. Stop laughing. That's better than your world ranking. As a tennis pro, Kosta traveled across the globe, competing in such exotic locales as the Netherlands, Tokyo, and even rural Illinois before deciding to put down his racket and pursue a more stable and predictable career: comedy. In a completely unexpected and wild journey through the backwaters of professional tennis, Kosta shows the unlikely ways life on the court prepared him for life in front of a microphone. Like comedy, tennis is brutally competitive, and most people lose at it. Unlike comedy, no one in tennis puts a gun on the table as they count out your earnings in twenty-dollar bills at the end of the night. And then there are the things that have more to do with what happens to you--and what you end up learning--as part of growing up. Topics include: how to properly discard an unwanted European hard-boiled egg, giving CPR to your dead grandpa, cringe-worthy "sex" in the Red Light District, crying so hard in a car that strangers call the cops, and also happy things like what it feels like when your dreams come true. From misadventures in tennis to the humbling setbacks of comedy, Lucky Loser is a heart-filled story of making your own luck, the universal experience of failure, and the many ways in which we all inevitably lose on the way to success. Lucky Loser includes a 16-page photo insert.

** THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Inheritance. Fraud. Deceit. The devastating exposé of Trump's financial failings that you need to read to understand the man whose deals are destroying the world economy. 'A page turner,' Washington Post 'Scalpel-like ... Damning' Sunday Times 'A first-rate financial thriller ... deserves, even demands, to be read' New York Times Soon after announcing his first campaign for the U.S. presidency, Donald J. Trump declared life has 'not been easy for me'. He spun a fable of how he turned a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar empire, and argued this made him singularly qualified to lead. Except none of it was true. Born to a rich father, Trump received the equivalent of more than $500 million today. The story of Trump's finances is one of rises and falls, of squandering fortunes on money-losing businesses to be saved by blind luck. He tacks his name to buildings while taking out huge loans he'll never repay. He obsesses over appearances while ignoring threats to the bottom line. He makes side deals to cut out the television producer who cast him as a business guru - the image that carried him to the White House. Here, for the first time, in a meticulous masterpiece of narrative reporting is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money - what he had and what he lost. *LONGLISTED FOR THE FT AND SHRODERS BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR * **A TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT AND FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2024 ** *New York Times bestseller list, 6 Oct 24.

** THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * Inheritance. Fraud. Deceit. The devastating exposé of Trump's financial failings that you need to read to understand the man whose deals are destroying the world economy. 'A page turner,' Washington Post 'Scalpel-like ... Damning' Sunday Times 'A first-rate financial thriller ... deserves, even demands, to be read' New York Times Soon after announcing his first campaign for the U.S. presidency, Donald J. Trump declared life has 'not been easy for me'. He spun a fable of how he turned a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar empire, and argued this made him singularly qualified to lead. Except none of it was true. Born to a rich father, Trump received the equivalent of more than $500 million today. The story of Trump's finances is one of rises and falls, of squandering fortunes on money-losing businesses to be saved by blind luck. He tacks his name to buildings while taking out huge loans he'll never repay. He obsesses over appearances while ignoring threats to the bottom line. He makes side deals to cut out the television producer who cast him as a business guru - the image that carried him to the White House. Here, for the first time, in a meticulous masterpiece of narrative reporting is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money - what he had and what he lost. *LONGLISTED FOR THE FT AND SHRODERS BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR * **A TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT AND FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2024 ** *New York Times bestseller list, 6 Oct 24.

An Instant New York Times Bestseller - A Washington Post Notable Book - A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year "A first-rate financial thriller . . . Lucky Loser is one of those rare Trump books that deserve, even demand, to be read." -Alexander Nazaryan, The New York Times From the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters behind the 2018 bombshell New York Times expos? of then-President Trump's finances, an explosive investigation into the history of Donald Trump's wealth, revealing how one of the country's biggest business failures lied his way into the White House Soon after announcing his first campaign for the US presidency, Donald J. Trump told a national television audience that life "has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me." Building on a narrative he had been telling for decades, he spun a hardscrabble fable of how he parlayed a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar business and real estate empire. This feat, he argued, made him singularly qualified to lead the country. Except: None of it was true. Born to a rich father who made him the beneficiary of his own highly lucrative investments, Trump received the equivalent of more than $500 million today via means that required no business expertise whatsoever. Drawing on over twenty years' worth of Trump's confidential tax information, including the tax returns he tried to conceal, alongside business records and interviews with Trump insiders, New York Times investigative reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig track Trump's financial rise and fall, and rise and fall again. For decades, he squanders his fortunes on money losing businesses, only to be saved yet again by financial serendipity. He tacks his name above the door of every building, while taking out huge loans he'll never repay. He obsesses over appearances, while ignoring threats to the bottom line and mounting costly lawsuits against city officials. He tarnishes the value of his name by allowing anyone with a big enough check to use it, and cheats the television producer who not only rescues him from bankruptcy but casts him as a business savant - the public image that will carry him to the White House. A masterpiece of narrative reporting, Lucky Loser is a meticulous examination spanning nearly a century, filled with scoops from Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, Atlantic City, and the set of The Apprentice . At a moment when Trump's tether to success and power is more precarious than ever, here for the first time is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money - what he had, what he lost, and what he has left - and the final word on the myth of Trump, the self-made billionaire.

An Instant New York Times Bestseller - A Washington Post Notable Book - A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year "A first-rate financial thriller . . . Lucky Loser is one of those rare Trump books that deserve, even demand, to be read." -Alexander Nazaryan, The New York Times From the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters behind the 2018 bombshell New York Times expos? of then-President Trump's finances, an explosive investigation into the history of Donald Trump's wealth, revealing how one of the country's biggest business failures lied his way into the White House Soon after announcing his first campaign for the US presidency, Donald J. Trump told a national television audience that life "has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me." Building on a narrative he had been telling for decades, he spun a hardscrabble fable of how he parlayed a small loan from his father into a multi-billion-dollar business and real estate empire. This feat, he argued, made him singularly qualified to lead the country. Except: None of it was true. Born to a rich father who made him the beneficiary of his own highly lucrative investments, Trump received the equivalent of more than $500 million today via means that required no business expertise whatsoever. Drawing on over twenty years' worth of Trump's confidential tax information, including the tax returns he tried to conceal, alongside business records and interviews with Trump insiders, New York Times investigative reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig track Trump's financial rise and fall, and rise and fall again. For decades, he squanders his fortunes on money losing businesses, only to be saved yet again by financial serendipity. He tacks his name above the door of every building, while taking out huge loans he'll never repay. He obsesses over appearances, while ignoring threats to the bottom line and mounting costly lawsuits against city officials. He tarnishes the value of his name by allowing anyone with a big enough check to use it, and cheats the television producer who not only rescues him from bankruptcy but casts him as a business savant - the public image that will carry him to the White House. A masterpiece of narrative reporting, Lucky Loser is a meticulous examination spanning nearly a century, filled with scoops from Trump Tower, Mar-a-Lago, Atlantic City, and the set of The Apprentice . At a moment when Trump's tether to success and power is more precarious than ever, here for the first time is the definitive true accounting of Trump and his money - what he had, what he lost, and what he has left - and the final word on the myth of Trump, the self-made billionaire.